Chemotherapy for Children

What is chemotherapy?

Chemotherapy is the use of anticancer drugs to treat cancerous cells. Chemotherapy has been used for many years and is one of the most common treatments for cancer. In most cases, chemotherapy works by interfering with the cancer cell's ability to grow or reproduce. Different groups of drugs work in different ways to fight cancer cells. Chemotherapy may be used alone for some types of cancer or in combination with other treatments such as radiation or surgery. Often, a combination of chemotherapy drugs is used to fight a specific cancer. Certain chemotherapy drugs may be given in a specific order depending on the type of cancer it is being used to treat.

While chemotherapy can be quite effective in treating certain cancers, chemotherapy drugs reach all parts of the body, not just the cancer cells. Because of this, there may be many side effects during treatment. Being able to anticipate these side effects can help you and your caregivers prepare and, in some cases, prevent these symptoms from occurring.

How is chemotherapy administered?

Chemotherapy can be given:

as a pill to swallow.

as an injection into the muscle or fat tissue.

intravenously (directly to the bloodstream; also called IV).

topically (applied to the skin)

directly into a body cavity

What are some of the chemotherapy drugs and their potential side effects?

The following table lists specific chemotherapy drugs and some of the side effects, however, each child may experience symptoms differently and at different times of the treatment. Some side effects may occur early on (days or weeks) and some side effects may occur later (months or years) after the chemotherapy has been given. The side effects listed are not all the possible problems that may occur. Always consult your child's physician if your child is feeling anything unusual.

Chemotherapy drug

Side effects (short-term and long-term)

L-asparaginase, Elspar - usually given IV

drowsiness can occur during and continue for several weeks after treatment